Corey Talks • Why You Should Have an Unplugged Wedding

In the past I’ve blogged about being a photo friendly guest and also about guest photographers but I felt that this needed to be expanded upon a bit more… and of course I have some images to show to support why I think it’s best when the guests put their cameras down.

Last year one of my friends got married and I was so thrilled to be her photographer that day. What was even more amazing was that she had an “Unplugged Wedding” after seeing pictures and reading my rants over the years about well-meaning guests whom have inadvertently (or heck, even completely on purpose) ruined images. Prior to the ceremony, the officiant read this, “Welcome, friends and family! Good evening everyone. Please be seated. Dan and Jennifer invite you to be truly present at this special time. Please, turn off your cell phones and put down your cameras. The photographer will capture how this moment looks — I encourage you all to capture how it feels with your hearts, without the distraction of technology. If Dan can do it, then so can you.” I can’t tell you how many happy leaps of joy my heart did when reading this!!! The guests all obeyed and even after the ceremony many decided to keep their arms down and their hearts open and enjoyed the day instead of being an observer from behind their cameras.

Recently “Guest Photographers” came up in one of the photography groups I am apart of online and someone asked what the big deal is, why wouldn’t we want more people capturing images for our clients? I thought this was a great question! I don’t have a single problem with guests taking images and sharing them later on with the couple. It makes me happy to know there will be other pictures and photos of moments I may have missed or alternate angles that I couldn’t cover. I also completely understand that some have a love for capturing images and enjoy taking pictures at weddings they are guests at. However, my heart literally breaks when a guest ruins an otherwise lovely image or jumps in front of me when I’m capturing a key moment from the day. It completely slays me when this happens because while I am not remotely egotistical at all, I am fairly confident that my image would have been better than the one they captured. In the past 6 years of being a professional wedding photographer, it’s also been sad to watch the progression from seeing smiling, encouraging and happy faces as the bride is escorted up the aisle to faces hidden behind the backs of cameras and cell phones that line the aisle. These are all reasons why I am elated when I hear of couples opting for an Unplugged Wedding – or at the very least an Unplugged Ceremony.

I also want to add this: if you are a guest at the wedding, please make sure to withhold posting pictures of the Bride & Groom online until AFTER the ceremony. I can’t tell you how many “first looks” have inadvertently happened online before the wedding because a bridesmaid or groomsman have uploaded pictures to social media before the wedding and a Bride and/or Groom who were killing time by browsing Facebook saw their future intended before the ceremony. Don’t do it!!!!! Also make sure with the couple that it is OK to share the images on social media, sometimes people prefer to keep things quiet due to varying factors and you don’t want to cause undue stress.

One thing there is absolutely NOTHING I can do to combat is a flash from a guest photographer’s camera. There is rarely anything that will save the image and no repositioning will change the outcome.

These are just two of the hundreds of images of the wedding processional that I’ve had ruined from a camera flash.

I also rarely, if ever, use flash for the ceremony so the light you see here is ALL from the one camera’s flash.

This girl’s father literally shoved me aside and gave me grief because I was blocking his daughter from standing in the aisle to get an image. This sanctuary only had one aisle and very little room to move due to a small space being full with guests. I took this image to protect myself later in case the clients were upset that I had to stand slightly off center for a portion of their day. Also? The Nintendo DS made the LOUDEST noises when it took pictures. It was crazy.

Since this image was taken 4 years ago the DS’s have been replaced with iPad, which are a million times worse when it comes to eyesores.

This kid’s Dad yelled at my second shooter during a wedding and shoved his kid up in front to make sure he got an image with his iPhone during a destination wedding in Cozumel. Note, he wasn’t a guest of the wedding, just a guest of the resort.

This whole situation literally broke my heart. In many churches, photographers are HEAVILY restricted as to where they can go for images and the Heinz Chapel is perhaps one of the strictest I’ve ever worked at. We are only allowed to be outside of the sanctuary in the door opening where the center aisle is and in the balcony. We are not permitted to move during the service. My second shooter thankfully was in the balcony but it didn’t make these guests go away but luckily he was able to get images of the service where you could SEE the bride and groom. I argued, begged and pleaded for the church lady guarding me to at least allow me to go into the side aisle so I could get a clear shot of my clients when these guests jumped into the aisle but I was not allowed. Instead I just had to take what I could get and cry a bit on the inside.

Another image of a guest who jumped in front of me during a ceremony where I could not move to get around him.

The flashes don’t quit for the service either and with the white dress there isn’t a lot I can do to save these images.

This almost made me cry. Not kidding.

I had my eye on this gentleman since he was standing up on the altar with the bride and groom during the service but I was able to zoom and crop around the couple so that he wasn’t in too many of the images. Then after the pronouncement of the couple and he swiftly moved and stood RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME during the first kiss. I jumped quickly to the side but I missed the quick kiss and luckily still was able to capture the hug after but I still am SO SAD that I missed their first kiss. I sure hope he got it…

I also felt doubly awful because I had to jump in front of guests view of the couple and during a ceremony my goal is to never block a guests view. I apologized profusely after the wedding and thankfully they all were very sweet and understanding.

While this image wasn’t completely blown out, the shadows are bothersome from a guest’s flash.

Back to the Heinz Chapel and as you can see, the guest did not move for the majority of the ceremony. I’m still sad when I look at this image.

It doesn’t matter what kind of camera – how big or how small – the flash is almost always too bright to work with once it is fired.

Standing in the aisle always makes me sad because your attention immediately will go to that person and not on the subject of the image.

I really cringe when guests try to take pictures during formals because not only am I generally under a time crunch but the flashes ruin at least one or two shots for each batch I take. Eyes also tend to wander and rarely do I get everyone looking at me at the same time when there are multiple cameras present. This is the only time that I will sometimes tell guests that they have to stop taking pictures and I have been told off more times than not when I’ve had to do this. However my priority the day of the wedding is on my clients. I don’t care about the sale of the portraits but I do care about the quality of the portraits and if there is a circus going on behind me it rarely ends well for everyone involved. So, trust me when I beg and plead for you to tell people to put their cameras down and go enjoy the cocktail hour while we take some portraits with the special people in your life.

The reception generally is a time when I can quickly move if a guest decides to take pictures but when I can’t move around it? The special dances. Although I have to say, this little old guy does warm my heart a bit. He was pretty cute with his disposable camera even if it was a bit distracting with the winding.

Another guest deciding the first dance is a great time for that portrait of the bride and groom.

This is another one that makes me a sad panda when I look at it. This guest came up at the last bit of the Father/Daughter dance and there was no where I could go to get her out of the picture. Luckily I have numerous beautiful images from the dance but the last hug is always my favorite.

Another pet peeve of guest cameras during the wedding? THE RED (OR GREEN) DOT OF DOOM! These focusing beams are quite irritating because again, there’s not a lot that I can do to get rid of it outside of turning the image black and white (which still will leave a light circle). There’s quite a few images that I’ve had to toss due to these beams, this is just one of the many.

Bottom line: my priority the day of the wedding is on my clients. They have paid me their hard-earned money to make sure I document their wedding and when an overzealous guest gets in the way, it makes me sad. I think often people don’t realize what they are doing and my writing this post was in hoping to educate even a few people that will take this advice and either have an unplugged wedding or think of the professional before jumping in the aisle for that shot.

liz Haeberlin-GREAT post! I hope this starts a new trend of “unplugged weddings!” I’d also like to blog about this with a link to your post. My blog is thewedphotocoach.com/blog.

Jen Parke-I LOVE this post! The pictures are wonderful! I hope that brides/grooms and wedding guests are listening!

The Proper Setting -Thanks for this completely honest review of ruined images by wedding guests interfering with paid photographers. Most are done innocently without knowing the consequences, but great advice!

Platinum Party Planning -WOW! I cannot tell you how many times, as a wedding planner, I have had to ask guests to step aside so the photographer can get the photos for the bride and groom’s wedding album. Thank you for posting this!

Chloe Moore -The iPads are the WORST! wohoo for unplugged weddings!

Miss Darcy Photography -Thank you so much for this post Corey! I’ve posted the link on my FB page because it says it so well! My upcoming clients are also thanking you in advance because it’s so well put and persuasive! Again thank you! Keep up the awesome work!

craig John-THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! For putting this post together. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to fight my way through guests jumping into the aisle to get a shot of the bride and groom during the recessional. And if it wasn’t bad enough people were using DSLRs, point and shoots, and phone cameras…..now they’re using GIANT iPADS! to take photos, which can entirely shield the bride and/or groom.

Maybe this is proof positive that everyone is LONGING to be a wedding photographer. LOL

Great post, Corey. 🙂

c

Scott and Kristin-WOW, great article, finally a photographer who took the time to create a well defined blog post about the troubles we all endure at weddings. 🙂 Thank you

Emma Lawson -wise words indeed

Brilliant Weddings & Design -Lovely, yet straight to the point blog from a professional wedding photographer, explaining why guests should leave the photography to the professional and enjoy the event camera/phone-free.

Jete Devisser-This is a fantastic post!! I shared it on my Facebook page to show couples the benefit of an unplugged wedding. Loved all the photos. Thank you!

Daniel Venter -I’m not sure if this is just luck of the draw but after 80+ weddings none of the above has ever been an issue for me. Get into the right position from the start and this won’t happen. E.G down the isle. You start in front of the Bride and father and back yourself down the isle people will know you are doing your job and 9/10 times dont step in the way. The reverse works when you’re coming from the alter. If you start shooting from the back people won’t see you and they’ll step in front of you and all sorts will happen!

Linda-Thanks for sharing this info. I don’t mind guest taking photos, but I hate when guests get in the way of me taking the professional photos. When I got married, it was an unplugged ceremony (including no photos of the ceremony) due to religious restrictions, but I will always have those happy memories of the ceremony in my heart. I do not need a bunch of amateur photos taken for me to remember the beauty of it.

Rachelle-Thank you so much for sharing this! My wedding is coming up in a few months and this has been a concern of mine.

Ryan Parker -Are you serious ?
Maybe you should use the burst mode to avoid capturing moments when others are flashing/red dotting. If my friends or family wants to take pictures, they can..I have no problem with it. They at least share the pics in a day or two unlike you guys who take 3-5 weeks. As a customer, I pay you to take pictures. You have to find ways around problems by moving closer or climbing a ladder or get creative. Move Heaven and Earth to get a great shot; the day is not about you or your photography skills, it’s about the bride, groom , family, friends. Its a constantly changing environment, you can either politely ask the guests to move out of the frame or patiently wait until they are gone.

“Dont Complain, just work harder” – Randy Pausch

Shelbie -I think you did a fantastic job with the conditions your had to deal with, besides that you expressed how every other photographer feels during these wedding situations. It can be frustrating when people are so inconsiderate/forgetful about who’s day it is.

Anyways thank you 🙂

P.s. I thought I would let you know,
“Standing in the aisle always males(Spelling error) me sad because your attention immediately will go to that person and not on the subject of the image.”- Oh and I agree with this as well.

Good luck on the next wedding you do!

Brooke Price Photography -It’s not that we ( the photographers) are trying to be rude, or make sure you can Only get photos from us to make more $$$ (

Tom Cahill -Every wedding photographer should show this to their clients.

Heline Bekker -Thanks so much for sharing this!

Amanda Dennie -Thank you for posting this! I honestly don’t think the most of people realize what they’re doing. I recently had to deal with an uncle Bob this past weekend. Jumped in front of the groom making his entrance and due to the seating arrangement (it was really weird), I had no where else to go at the time. Not that it would have mattered. Uncle Bob was in their face the whole time. And then as the wedding party was leaving, he jumped in front of me several times, so I have a couple of shots where the bridesmaid and groomsman aren’t looking at me, they’re looking at HIM! I wanted to scream “LOOK AT ME!”. Ok, end rant.

Catherine-It’s one thing to explain it…but for people to SEE it…this is AWESOME!

Patrick -I’m curious how you are catching so many of the guest’s flashes? Are you dragging your shutter to really long lengths that allow more time to catch their flash? If your shutter is around 1/250 – 1/20th of a second then there is such a small chance of you taking a photo at the exact time a flash goes off.

Having shot over 200 weddings myself, I don’t know that I’ve ever catch a guest’s flash during a key moment. The times I have caught a flash it’s been a throw away image or in a few cases it has come out really cool.

It’s def annoying when guests stand in front of you though. The best way to combat this is to use at least 1 second shooter who is getting a completely different angle. That can save you in the event that you miss the first kiss or someone stands in front of your way.

Corey Ann-Generally I shoot ceremonies around 1/125 or so due to the lighting (unless I’m outside), these are just a few examples over the many years I’ve shot weddings. I’ve had some really strange results too, I just didn’t post them. I’ve been saving these images in a folder for years and finally brought them out. I definitely shoot more than one image and the clients still had everything covered (save for the first kiss) by alternate images that I took that weren’t ruined.

I don’t always work with a second shooter but often due to church restrictions (which is when I have the issues) having a second shooter really won’t help combat the issue. Especially when they are in the main aisle during the “key” moments that clients tend to want the “traditional” shot of.

Corey Ann-Thank you! The bottom line is that clients paid good money for these images and it makes me sad when guests think they are the pro and get all crazy town during the ceremony. MOST of the time I can shoot around it and do but sometimes there’s not much we can do to avoid the guest.

My favorite may be the uncle that brought a ladder and set it up in the aisle. I shot around him but that was a curveball I didn’t expect!

Corey Ann-I don’t shoot in burst mode but I do have a quick camera and still generally get the shot. The images here are throwaways I saved from 6 years in the business.

My clients have their images to them within 3-5 days generally. I also still haven’t seen hundreds of images from my wedding – and I’m sure many clients have the same issue. Just because a guest took the image doesn’t mean it’s more likely to get into their hands.

I do not bring a ladder because that is just asking for a lawsuit and it is also crazy obtrusive to a wedding. As is asking a guest to move out of the aisle once the service has started. I try to be as unobtrusive as possible during a service because this is a time of worship and to focus on the love that brought two people together.

My bottom line goal is to make sure my clients have the best images from their day but it isn’t at the expense of their wedding.

Tyler Ingram-I always have tried to stay out of the way of a photographer during a wedding. ie I check to see where they are before I try and take a photo. I also try and bring something that will work in low-light without a flash or focus-assist beam (such as bring the 50mm 1.8 and shoot with a higher ISO).

I can totally see how this can happen during a wedding but I do like how you have shared your images of what happens when people are their with their cameras etc.

The last wedding we attended, they told people to refrain from using the flashes on their cameras/phones etc.

Patrick -My thought on Church restrictions is this: While it is my job to capture as many great images as possible, I don’t particularly need any images for my own use. Sometimes Churches have strict rules like only photography from outside the closed window doors, or only photography from this specific spot in the balcony, or sometimes even no photography during the ceremony at all. In my mind, my clients have to respect those wishes and I’m not going to break the churches rules either. I simply try to capture what I can and capture it as it happens. If a little flower girl stands in the isle or a guest is in the isle the whole time, well then that’s the photo my clients get. Obviously it’s not as “picture perfect” as they probably would have wished but it’s also the way it happened. I’ve had catholic ceremonies that are over 45 mins long and they do not allow photography at all….so I just sit in the back and play on my phone for 45 mins. I’m not going to break the church’s rules.

That being said, it is kind of frustrating when the church says no photography, or no flash photography and then the guests are able to break those rules without punishment while I have to sit with my camera on my lap. Again, it’s not really my problem and the clients should know that choosing that church has photography consequences.

On another note, this article was brought to my attention by our Fstoppers writers. Would it be okay for us to summarize this article and link back to your full story? I think a lot of people would find this topic interesting.

Twain Newhart -I had to snicker at some of this. Sad yet true that the guests will get in the way from time to time. Luckily I have only had a few bad moments. I document them and then show them to the couple afterwards. The restrictions on the churches is a tough one. Thank you so much for blogging about this. I hope all wedding planners read this.

Jean Chartrand -Well for me you are too polite. I have no issues telling guests to get out of the way and out of my shot in a polite and assertive way. There is no way I would let someone position themselves in an aisle for a period of time to block me. As for when you are doing the formals I usually never let anybody else shoot my setups why should my composition skills be used for their images. We have a section in our wedding contract that states that no guest or other photographer can hinder us while we are working and if we are, we will let the couple know and they will need to ask them to stop and if the person does not stop we cannot be held responsible for any missed shots.
I think a lot of photographers are afraid to confront these people, we are hired by these couples to capture one the most special days in their life and we need to provide them with the best images we can deliver to them so if that means telling the “friend photographer” to get out of the way or don’t shoot while I’m shooting I have no issues because if I was the bride and groom and you missed my first kiss picture I would be pissed at you and not my friend that got in your way. Just my 2 cents from a photographer with 33 years of experience.

Lydia-Now I don’t feel like such a jerk for all the times I’ve pushed my husband out of a photographers way.

JCWood Photography -Great Post

Ashley Durham Photography-Fabulous article, and great pictures (well, err … You know what I mean, haha). Dealing with Uncle Bob and intrusive wedding guests is part of the wedding gig, I am definitely going to talk to my future brides and grooms about it and show them this article.

Kimberly Hudson -WOW! Totally makes me think twice about taking a camera to a wedding and also about asking for a camera free ceremony for my own wedding!

Celebrations of Tampa Bay -A big Amen! to that. Finally someone said, what all of us professionals have been afraid to say!

Ashlee Hamon -Thank you! It baffles me just how rude and oblivious people are! I hope everyone ever sees this and Rembrandt it the next time they are a guest.

Debra Jacobs -Oh my goodness, you are so calm about it all! I get really frustrated in situations like these, but I can’t get angry at the guests… Most of them are just trying to “help out” the bride & groom with their own shots. It’s just disappointing to miss all those beautiful, irreplaceable moments!

Rachel Wolin -As a former event planner (not wedding planner), we deal with this all the time. At fundraisers and galas, we’re trying to find photos that can be used for websites, social media, promotion materials, the press, etc…and photo-happy guests can get in the way, even inadvertently. It’s frustrating, and an issue that can be fixed with a few kind words. (Also, if the officiant/Emcee says something, then it brings in the rest of the guests to also police those individuals who disregard the wishes of the couple/organization/etc.)

Lisa Tennyson Rago -Thanks, Cory and Jenny. Something I never thought of! We will be sure to make an announcement of this at the wedding. Hailey wondered if it wouldn’t be wise to introduce the photographers so that people would know who it is and hopefully be aware not to step in front of.

Cheryl Mulqueeney -Love love this !!!!!

Will Koeppen -Right on, of course. Though I can see why it happens, and the common wedding photography model contributes heavily to people wanting to take their own photos. A) People want to share something immediately, and that’s not a bad thing. B ) Most guests don’t want to have to buy photos from a photographer to have a visual memento of the wedding. C) Many people have a desire to capture those moments as they experienced them (though sadly they will probably never look at those photos again). Both A and B could be supported in part by small changes to the way that professional wedding photographers do business.

Allen Arrick -My favorite thing that happens ALL THE TIME at weddings: We have 10 minutes to take 20 different family groups before the sun sets(many of which include family members who are already at the open bar), all while 3 people behind you take photos, adding in their flash and distracting eyes. The moment you ask for people to kindly hurry or stop taking photos, it’s “OMG that photographer was a DICK.”

“Unplugged Weddings”: Preventing Guests From Destroying Your Photographs | Fstoppers-[…] You can see many examples of failed photographs caused by guests overstepping their boundaries on Corey’s full Unplugged Weddings Blog Post. As a wedding photographer myself, I can attest that there have been times when “Uncle Canon Charlie” has not only become an annoyance at my own weddings, but he has also been responsible for me deleting images that would have been album worthy. I guess dodging guests who intrude on your hired responsibilities is just something that comes with the territory. […]

Tomasz Wagner -I approve of this post!

Michelle S Hanks-Your insight is great and from the heart. As I start in this business, I can learn from you guts, the more experienced ones, how to handle these situations. Thank you for being honest and vulnerable.

Callynth Finney -Or in a formal group photo when those in the photo are looking at different cameras.

Sue Hemphill Blauser -Thank u so much for this info. I’m. sure that over the years I have been guilty of being one of these guest. Unbelievable what we guest have done to the bride’s special day.

Nancy Smith-Marvin -My experience is different. Although I certainly agree with guests staying out of the way of the photographer, I have to thank the guests for the pictures they took because they are the only ones I have of my family. My son hired a photographer that was new to shooting weddings. She took beautiful engagement photos. When it came to the wedding, she took over 500 photos and I (the mother of the groom) was in 4. My husband (step dad of 10 years) was in 1. My sons father and his wife were in 7 photos. The photographer took over 70 family photos of all the brides side and only 5 of the grooms father’s side and zero of my side. There were approximately 350 photos of guests dancing and drinking. Only 10 photos of the bride and groom with the cake.
My message to all photographers shooting a wedding…….. DO YOUR HOMEWORK AND FIND OUT WHO THE PARENTS ARE. Take family photos with grandparents included. This is a day you cannot go back and recapture. I ended up with zero professional family wedding pictures for my keepsake. I gathered a few good ones from the guest.
Grooms family got ripped off. Brides family is happy.

David Cruz -Thank you for posting this! I had a baptism ceremony 90% ruined by ant sally! It was as if her only mission in life was to jump inches in front of me!

Barbed Wire and Begonias Photography -What a well done post! I love that she has shared so many real photos. Every wedding we see this. I totally understand family and friends wanting to take pictures at the wedding. But it is something that Brides and Grooms and their families need to be aware of. They need to decide who they want to be the “main” photographer during key moments? The guest with the ipad or cell phone or the one they are paying that has the appropriate camera and lens? As wedding photographers we do the best we can to get the shot but I have had my fair share of aggressive guests shove me out of the way and or step in front of me at a key moment. Whatcha going to do?

Carol Corey Creeger -Thank you for posting this review of images. There should be a class for wedding guests to take, well intended but in the end they can really ruin your images.

Stephanie Hammer -This is so important to address!! Thank you for sharing these images and for being so willing to share your feelings and insights. I think that the further we get into technology we will see more and more of this, but education is key. This is such a fantastic article and should be shared everywhere.

Teri Urwin -Is it just me that actually likes that photo with the shadows from a guests flash?

Richard Klein -@Ryan Parker: You are a first class clown. You have no idea of what a professional photographer goes through to create memorable images. I have shot nearly 1900 weddings in my career. I have dealt with almost all situations that can occur, including many mentioned in these posts. I have had people jump in front of me in the aisle in church, fire off during my altar formals, and outdoor portraits, and all the rest. I have seen uncountable cell phones, I-Pads, and other devices used to capture events that I am shooting. Your suggestions as to overcoming these obstacles are ludicrous. But I will say that in all my years as a pro, dating back to the days of the cavemen, I only invoked my wedding contract’s exclusive photographer clause only once. I had to tell one guest that either stopped getting in my way or I was packing up and leaving. He was rather irate but when I began to put my gear into a case, he stopped and I finished the job. Rest assured the bride and groom and their families were told of this and I shot a candid of him getting in my way that they saw. I am hired because I deal with these distractions in my own way. I get the shots I need to get, and have no fears of telling interlopers to move, stop, or otherwise stay out of my way. I am paid good money to document a wedding and refuse to let the amateurs get in my way under any circumstances. But if you wanted to hire me to do your wedding, there would be 2 chances: slim and none, and Slim just left town.

Armma -Your post makes a good point; I’m probably guilty of this occasionally myself, though I’ve never been so rude as to step into the aisle or use a flash. Part of it is that, as guests, we also want a record of the events. Rarely are the wedding photographer’s shots shared with the guests (beyond maybe a few on Facebook), either because the newlyweds don’t want to go to the trouble or because the wedding photography does not allow it (at least that’s getting rare these days). I bet an announcement that “All photos will be shared on Facebook/Flickr/etc” would quell a lot of the overzealous guest photography.

On the flip side, an intrusive wedding photographer can ruin it for everyone, too. I’m glad you’re very careful to avoid that, because some are not: The last wedding I went to was an Indian wedding, where most of the ceremony took place inside a mandap (essentially a gazebo). The two photographers and a videographer spent the entire wedding right in the middle of the aisle and the other mandap openings, blocking the view for just about all the guests. We spent most of the wedding watching photographers shuffle their read ends around (see imgur.com/lfCNxOD and imgur.com/Y2bvnQw). Disappointing, to say the least, but I’m sure they got great photos…

Chicago Wedding DJ-I think this is a brilliant idea. I can’t tell you how many moments that would have made for amazing pictures I’ve seen ruined by guests walking right in front of the professional photographer at the exact wrong moment.

Craver-Vii-Brilliant post! I admire your skill in the photos you picked as keepers, but I absolutely love how you’ve redeemed the throwaways by compiling these frustrations in a somewhat light and humorous manner. I’m a hobbyist that gets referrals when people can’t afford a true professional. Most of the time, I successfully talk people into hiring a pro, and this is partially due to my desire to keep photographing for fun, and there’s sometimes stuff like this that make a wedding shoot less-than-fun for me. I probably would like being a pro’s assistant, but I feel like I’m not ready yet to bear the full responsibility. Again, you have my respect and admiration for what you do and how well you do it!

Nicholas Scott -I suppose it is better to mention up front to the guests that they need not take pictures than me stopping the minister mid ceremony so I can go tell them to get out of the aisle. I think we’ll take that suggestion to heart.

If I am paying for a professional photographer clearly I am trusting their work so nobody needs to get in their way. The only people with freer reign at my wedding will be the bride and me.

dav.d-Amen! People can put their phones/cameras down and live in the moment! This should also apply to concerts, musicals, restaurants, bar/bat mitzvahs.

Samantha Renee -Great article! It’s sad to see the ruined shots. As a wedding planner, I sometimes have to get really assertive and tell people to MOVE!

Joyce Isellessentialbodyoils Hudson -I shot a wedding in April that had me irritated, at one point. There was a guest taking flash pix with her cell phone at the same time That I was taking them of the bridesmaids coming down the aisle. Her flash ruined EVERY one of those shots… UGH!

Greg Thompson -Sad? Wrong word. For me this would be absolutely INFURIATING! And yes I think every wedding should be unplugged – it’s a great idea to get back to the roots of what makes attending an event in person enjoyable. If everyone is living through the lens on their phone while AT the event, then is anyone truly there at all?

Sabina Lorkin-Thank you for your post. It wonderfully illustrates the problems encountered with enthusiastic amateurs who think that they are helping the married couples. Thank you for sharing your ‘ruined’ photos 🙂

Nicole Roche Nichols -As a photographer trying to document this sacred time in people’s lives the worse for me is when the parents in the front row or fiddling with their cameras instead of paying attention to what is going on right in front of them. Isn’t taking pictures what they hired me for? I’ve also been saving a collection of ruined shots by guests jumping up and getting in the way and am planning to do this same type of write up, but glad you beat me to it, it needed to be out there! Thanks for putting this together.

SHAWN BAZIL-I can relate yo this article, sinc I experience all if what you wrote just teo months ago, I took 299 immages and had to destroy anout 66, from the renainder I was forced to turn anout 20 into black and white, the good new is the couple was please but had they known how many awsome shots had to go , it might have been a different outcomes.

first pearl jam, now your wedding-[…] probably been two years since I first read a blog post about unplugged weddings. Most recently, this one from Corey Ann photography crossed my path. Even as a fully-wired child of the internet, I […]

Sandra Ace-I’ve thoroughly enjoyed reading this. I feel like a failure if I don’t get the shot because of guests getting their shots. It is really heartbreaking

Alan Chin -I absolutely agree with how annoying this is, but, echoing some of your other commenters, a word of advice here: Ever wonder how 35 photographers cover Obama (or whoever), one on top of each other, all with 28mm lenses, and yet there’s hardly ever a photographer in the frame? It’s a ballet. Dance around the other photographers. Be aggressive, but also frame better. Be on your knees in front of the standing guy. Shoot through elbows and legs…that can help framing too. Don’t use your long lenses…I see that you’re overly reliant on them. You need too much room for them, that’s why you’re getting into these issues. Your 35mm, 28mm, 24mm, 21mm will do the job better. I only use a 100mm for close-ups during the ceremony, and only a few frames of faces and rings at that. And if venue rules or staff are too restrictive, ignore them. Ever see how we fight with the Secret Service and the police for access? Chances are, we’ve already gotten the shot. If you’re quietly aggressive, even against the “rules”, most people will not confront you. Don’t be shy about delicately, but firmly, moving guests out of your way too. They understand that and will usually cooperate once they’ve been made aware. It’s a great idea to not have to deal with any of this as you say, “unplugged”, but if you have to, it’s not the end of the world. It never bothers me, because I’ve learned how to move and yet seem almost invisible. Believe me, it becomes second nature and after a certain point, no crowd of cell-phone-cameras bothers you any more. I’ve shot probably close to a hundred weddings over the last 10 years this way.

Reading this week | 17th Street BBQ-[…] someone whose event photos have been compromised by multiple “photographers,” I found this to be dead on and kind of sad. Let’s all try to be more courteous and let event […]

Tom Hall Photography -This might seem harsh, but I’m gobsmacked!

I can’t believe you’ve actually posted this blog! How do you think prospective clients will react to seeing that you can’t seem to adjust to the fact that weddings involve guests and that guests take their own cameras?

I know one thing is for sure; if I was looking for a photographer and saw that that they had such a problem with their client’s guests, I certainly wouldn’t book them.

I agree with so many of the photographers below who say they’ve shot copious weddings and never run into this issue. If you know what you’re doing, it never becomes a problem. For those of you who somehow keep snagging other people’s flash bursts, go back and learn a little bit more about photography.

If you’re a professional you should be completely capable of adapting! If you’re not, then you’ll most probably post blogs like this and publicly draw attention to the fact that you can’t cope with the ever changing and unpredictable environment a wedding creates!

Sheesh, that’s just one of the many reasons shooting a wedding is so damn fun! Embrace it – don’t publicly moan about it! You may’ve create a buzz around your brand, but in my opinion; for all the wrong reasons!

Peter Stevens -It should be compulsory for EVERY wedding guest ever to read this post. Send it out with the invitations. Superb. Well said.

Melody Landholt -I totally understand why you wrote this blog and unfortunately during my sisters wedding the pic of my mom being ushered in she looks like a ghost from someone else’s flash, but a bigger disappointment is the photographer at my parents wedding asked no one take pictures and NO ONE did! Well 20 + years later my parents house caught fire, they lost everything!! They tried looking up their photographer to get some pics but he only kept pictures for a certain amount of time. So now my parents don’t have any wedding pictures what so ever! ( that is kinda their own fault too for not giving any out ) but still. So I totally understand your reasoning and I guess in today’s time it’s easier for photographers to keep pictures (computers, jump drives, etc.) but when my photopgrapher asked no one take pics at my wedding I explained to her why I wanted guest to take pics and we came up with guest not taking pics till she told them they could (after the ceremony) my church allowed her to move around freely as she and her assistant needed. So I got amazing pictures from her and my guest!

Joe-You used the word ‘literally’ three times in this article, and got its meaning wrong twice. Other than that, nice piece.

Kristin L Frost -This is an awesome article. Unfortunately, is not limited to just weddings :/ We need to spread the word 🙂

Mike Togle -Thanks for posting this, Corey. If you don’t mind, I’ll write about your blog post in our website and just add a few of our own pet peeves about “plugged” weddings.

Sheila Juan Catilo -We have a lot of churches here in the Philippines too that have very strict rules regarding where photographers are allowed to shoot from and which parts of the ceremony we’re supposed to minimize our movement. We understand and respect that rule because it applies to EVERYONE – both official photographer and guests with cameras. What bothers me is why the church you mentioned specifically restricts the photographers and not guests from blocking the view of the altar. Someone should tell them to seriously reconsider that rule.

Jean-Thank you for sharing such a heartbreaking phenomenon. I’m sure once everyone has seen this or a similar post detailing the disadvantages of having too many guests wanting to capture the moment in their own gadgets then we will gradually develop a more conscious atmosphere.

Wedding Details – Ceremony | Xapa to the World-[…] At the bottom, there is some text that I think was very helpful. It says, “Please do not use any flash photography during the ceremony. Be respectful of our hired photographers. Also, please put your phones on silent. Thank you!” We commissioned everyone at the rehearsal to mention it to guests. I had originally planned to have some sort of verbiage like this, but that was only strengthened after reading this. […]

Wedding Party App | Our Geek Unity-[…] We do ask that you refrain from taking photos during the ceremony, we are going to have an amazing photographer to do that for us. Feel free to take social and candid photos throughout the reception though, we want as many photos of all our friends and family but we don’t want anything like this to happen. […]

K -Great article! Can you add a Pinterest button to link to this specific post? I clicked the Pinterest button on the top of your page but it took me to your profile, not to pin this. I would love to save and share it with my friends!

Honey Bee Weddings -Thank you for this wonderful post. I am linking it in my blog post today!

Honey Bee Weddings -Thank you for a great post! I am linking it in my blog post today!

Yvonne Donaldson -That’s the one area I wish we had spent more money. Our photographer was a joke. He missed key moments and was terrible at placement and posing. I have pictures that people took at the reception showing him sitting at a table with his assistant, just sitting there. My friends said he sat there for the longest time. It’s not like we had a six hour event and he needed a rest. It was a simple ceremony with a modest reception. The whole event took 2, maybe 3, hours. I’ve never shown anyone any of the pictures he took. The video they shot sounds like he’s chewing aluminum foil behind the lens. I am extremely grateful for the pictures my friends and family took.

Kathie Chestnut Mollica -I rarely take pictures at events…I want to enjoy the time with friends and family not be behind a camera.

Brenda K Patton Campbell -This is awesome article I hope you do not mind if I repost this on my site.

Samantha -love this. I’m not a professional but I want to go to school for it one day. but I do better pictures then other people can’t stand when I’m in the wedding or my kids parties and I let somebody else do my photos and they turn out all messed up. and when people stand right in front of u or walk through ur shot. so going to do this at my wedding and make sure everyone knows the photographers are so they don’t block shots. I will be bridezilla on my day.

Karen Gaither -I wonder if some of the wedding/bridal magazines would print stuff about these problems in their publications? Or online sites for brides. There’s got to be a way to get this info OUT THERE to let the couple and their parents know what’s going on and what the couple needs help with. If you hand out a printed wedding guilde then put it in there. We have got to get the help of the couple and the wedding coordinator by any means possible.

Paul Koziorowski-Thank you for writing this article. I couldn’t agree more with you and will certainly implement a lot of this when I meet with my couples and explain this to them. Thank you again!

Ashley WaltersPhotography -I myself have ran into these problems with weddings I have done. So to all my soon to be brides out there, please, please, PLEASE read this and consider having an unplugged wedding.

Kirsty Picton -Something to consider…

Mike Puhrmann -Great article! Makes me thankful that we had our wedding before digital photography became so ubiquitous

Taking Too Many Photos Is Affecting Our Memories-[…] set of comments – that obsessively documenting events ruins them. Been to a concert lately? How about a wedding? I’m a photographer and have worked many a wedding. Do you know what is ruining wedding […]

Mark Harman -this is a truly excellent example of what can and does happen. thanks for sharing in a way the happy couple can understand

Mary Yarbrough -Even as a serious photo hobbyist, these same types of things have happened to me when friends with no money to hire a pro ask my help in capturing their moments. Vacations are another big one. Nothing compares to carefully selecting a shot, propping and centering the camera (on rocks, tree stump, my backpack, etc.) setting the focus and the auto shoot, pressing the button, running to hop in the frame with family, and out of nowhere some brat runs through the shot, towing an oblivious parent.
These are so true. People are really that careless, and as a species, our situational awareness sucks.

MDN BERGENE -As a friend or relative that has been asked to bring my camera and be the secondary photographer with the photographers permission, I have in 15 years three times been the only one who actually got photos to the bride and groom. All of the “pros” had been pre paid and recommended. Once the guy just disappeared BBB said he went bankrupt, 2nd time before digital thepros film did not advance for the ceremony! Third time the photographer had no clue how to pose people, beautiful outdoor setting flower garden….. “Please have everyone line up in front of this brick wall with signs and light on it”. The bride asked me to take over after 6 of those were taken, Mostly I try talk to the photographer and ask them to let me know if I’m in the way also to let them know I’m really trying noy to intrude. I have never had a problem, by being observant … When their camera is down I take mine. I also take photos of taking photos. It is an important part of the story of the day. I watch the photographer and what they are prepping for and get out of their way. I agree almost everyone should enjoy the wedding and view the photos from the pro later. Also most photographers are now providing couples with DVDs of their photos. B&G are paying for the expertise behind the camera and in the actual editing not the printing process.

Laura Whitfield -This is something I considered too. Unplugged and just simple. I want to see smiling faces and emotional scenes, not random cell phones and cameras blocking views and faces. Perfect post! Very passionate.

Hashtags vs Unplugged: The Great Debate | Letterpress & Lace-[…] If someone had ruined my first kiss photo like this, there’s a good chance I would have killed them. Or at least stopped being their friend. What’s wrong with people? To get a photographer’s perspective on unplugged weddings, and see more pictures, click here. […]

kathy -I can understand why you would prefer this. I always try to be aware of the photographer and I keep my flash off. people that are so rude as to push out of the way will not follow the rules anyway. request no flash photography. on my side if I don’t take my own pics I don’t have any. I cant afford the cost of professional prints. taking photos helps me focus on the moments . many which I would miss if not trying to capture them on film. ive been at weddings where no flash has been requested and that’s worked out great.

Miss McGymc Life -Thanks for this article. I have seen many photos at weddings that are ruined because of the guest cell phone camera takers.

Lynsey Draycott Hutsby -Thanks for this. You really don’t realise the ‘damage’ you can do being a guest photographer. However on my own wedding day I was glad our guests took photo’s as our photographer missed some of the people we wanted photographed with so they thankfully caught what our photographer didn’t. So all in all I’m kind of stuck in the middle with this. I think make the ceremony completely no guest photo’s but guests can photograph while the group photos are being taken as long as they realise to stay well away from the photographer and the groups he’s taking. In an ideal world the parties should be taken to a secluded area and the best man and ushers have a list and go fetch the relevant guests to be photographed when they’re needed. That way you only have a few people there at a time with nothing distracting them from looking at the camera, no kids running about causing distractions, guests that are waiting can sit and have a drink and if a hot day can sit inside etc. At my wedding my daughter was only 19 months old so trying to get her in the photos was near damn impossible due to her wanting to run around with all the other kids! It wasn’t until we got our photos that we realised our daughter was in NONE of the full bridal party photo’s. The one’s she is in either her dad (the groom!!!!) or my Mum (Brides Mother!!!) and my poor mum looks as flustered as hell (it was soooo hot and sunny!) On our wedding video the photographer is heard to say get the little one out she’s not going to behave! I was livid. I vaguely remember hearing him say it on the day but I was so flustered at my daughter not standing still and overwhelmed being the bride in general but to hear it on our video…well! The groom and mother of the bride shouldn’t of had to be the ones holding our daughter but no one from our 2 adult bridesmaid’s, 2 ushers or best man took control! He wasn’t a very good photographer and more than one guest commented on his rudeness and barking out orders. And like I said he didn’t get all the photo’s we asked for. He was in a rush to get home I think cos after the rushed family shots etc he rushed us inside to pose cutting the cake then left! Oh and then the hubby left 5 years later!! X

Craig P. Hansen -As a wedding Dj I am adamant about finding the photographer as soon as I arrive at the venue. We go over the timeline and I let them know THAT I DEFER TO THEM. Photographers may only have a split second or a short window to get certain shots. If the first dance is at 6pm but the sunset is perfect at 6 pm…..it is my job to fill until the shots are taken then we proceed forward. I also invite the guests to enjoy themselves but remind them as politely as I can to keep their non professional behinds in the seat and OUT OF THE WAY OF THE PHOTOGRAPHER. Because of this I have really great relationships with the photographers in my area………

Lindsay Skinner -Great Post! I attend a lot of weddings and I find this extremely frustrating as a guest who chooses to be “present” at the event. No one enjoys having to watch a special moment through the iPhone screen of the person in front of you.

Thinking About An Unplugged Wedding?-[…] Recently, the idea of “guest photographers” came up in one of the photography groups I am part of online, and someone asked what the big deal is. Why wouldn’t we want more people capturing images for our clients? I thought this was a great question! I don’t have a single problem with guests taking images and sharing them with the couple later. It makes me happy to know there will be other photos of moments I may have missed, or alternate angles that I couldn’t cover. I also completely understand that some have a love for capturing images and enjoy taking pictures at weddings when they are guests. However, my heart breaks when a guest ruins an otherwise lovely image or jumps in front of me when I’m capturing a key moment from the day. http://coreyann.com/blog/corey-talks/corey-talks-why-you-should-have-an-unplugged-wedding […]

Jessica Rackers -Using your blog post as a citation for a persuasive speech I am writing in favor of unplugged wedding ceremonies! I do have a question though. Why is it that in the Heinz Chapel you were restricted on where you could take pictures from, but the guests were allowed to stand in the middle of the aisle and take pictures. What is the difference between them and you?

Food and Frocks-Great post thank you for sharing, it’s good to hear from a photographers point of view, have linked to it on my blog!

China Barbie-So I just read this article on lover.ly, and I LOVED it! I just met with my photographer and I showed her the article and said I want to do this! She looks at it and goes, “Oh I know her!” Hahaha it was so crazy! It’s Val from Brightside Photography!
But seriously, GREAT article! I’m gonna post it to my facebook and tell everyone coming to my wedding to read it! Haha.

wedding-photographer-long-island.com-Thanks for this post. I don’t believe there is anything I hate more than guests popping flash off like they are a paparazzi or something. In an ideal world all couples would have unplugged weddings. 🙂

Mark Murphy -I stopped taking pictures all together the poor photographer try to do her job and people kept jumping in front of her..I did a no no, but oh well…I hollered at the said offenders from the alter at a Catholic wedding to please let her get her shots !!!

Wedding Hashtags: Here Comes the #Upsell - News-[…] A widely Instagrammed wedding isn’t for everyone. Some couples request that attendees stay off phones for the duration of the event, urging guests to live in the moment. Others have rules about pictures: While a professional photographer will select the most flattering photos, as well as edit and airbrush the images to perfection, a guest with a cell phone might capture attendees in a drunk and sweaty state. Debates about etiquette have raged on the Internet, with professional photographers warning about how things can go very wrong. […]

Pamela Mann-This is my favorite blog post to re-post several times a year. The photos in this blog speak volumes as to why I encourage my couples to have unplugged weddings.

It also drives me crazy that people can’t be focused for 15-30 minutes for the ceremony and key parts of the reception…that is why the photographers are there so that they can enjoy the celebration fully grounded and present to themselves and the couple.

Thank you for this post!

AJ Henderson-I liked your article overall, but did have one observation. In regards to there being little that can be done to save a flash over-exposed image, while that is particularly true when shooting without a flash yourself, it becomes decidedly less true when using a professional TTL flash that can significantly overpower pretty much any consumer flash. The only times I generally run in to over-exposure problems from guests (that I can’t recover anyway) are when I’m either not shooting flash, or I’m shooting too slow of a shutter speed and have an LED flash that ends up providing constant illumination directly after my metering occurs (which is still fairly rare).

I will make one other minor objection, but it doesn’t apply to most guests. As a professional wedding photographer myself who works at what I feel is an above average level, I often don’t 100% trust the official photographer unless they are behaving in a manner that gives me confidence in their ability or I’ve had a chance to previously see their finished work. For me, it is actually a source of stress at a wedding if I’m not taking //some// photos, such as making sure that key moments have good coverage in case the photographer is one of the many sub-standard wedding photographers I’ve seen, especially in my area.

That said, I’m also a conscientious shooter. I deliberately avoid taking any photos of posed shots as I believe that the posing is part of their artistic discretion and see those images and positioning as solely theirs. I don’t mind if guests shoot my posed shots, but I also prefer much less restrictive image licensing than most photographers. I also stay out of the way of other photographers as I have the experience to do so and I ALWAYS make sure to communicate with the official photographer at the first possible convenience so I can let them know who I am, what I am doing, what to do to let me know if I am somehow inadvertantly causing an issue for them (most likely because they are doing something a bit off, but I’m not 100% perfect either and clear communication is key to coordinating).

I’ve been to unplugged weddings before. Actually, my sister’s was unplugged, but I have always gotten special permission from the couple when they wanted to do so after explaining my reasoning. I also always make sure to work very, very closely with the photographer in those cases.

Overall, the way I view it is that, on average, my shots, when I can take them, will be better than the official photographers, both because of my skill and also because I have an actual long standing relationship I can leverage to put the couple at ease. I have a natural advantage, but I’m also a guest first and foremost. I’m not there to capture every moment, I’m their to be part of the wedding. I need to capture some of the moments when I’m not involved to avoid being stressed out about it, but I also know how to prioritize and balance. In that case, my view is largely that the professional photographer is there to have it be their sole purpose for the event. I’m going to miss shots because I’m being a guest. I wouldn’t be a good guest if I didn’t.

Okay, that rambled a bit, but I hope it adds a bit of another view.

Raleigh Belle Wren-I have linked to this post in my own blog. You do a lovely job at respectfully explaining why unplugged weddings have even become a thing. I recently attended an unplugged wedding and the guests complied very well. The officiant did not announce the need to be unplugged, but the Bride and Groom chose to have a poster created. They placed it at the entrance with the sign-in book. They had a usher there pointing out the sign and ensuring guests signed in. The miss was the family and the vendors. The family were all waiting inside to be seated last and did not get to see the sign. The Brides Sister-in-law was the only guest taking photos during the ceremony. The good news is she got some great photos, which she kindly shared on the wedpic app. She also managed to stay out of the way of the professional photographer. The officiant brought her husband with her to the wedding and he failed to heed the request of the Bride and Groom and stood at the back of the venue taking photos to post on their website. It would have been great if they requested one of the professional photos to post to their website since the one they posted was not that good.